This invention relates to changing, the physical characteristics of a compound, and in particular to supplying negative ions to a compound via capacitive coupling using a high frequency, high amplitude voltage.
Compounds, whether they are liquids, solids or gases (and the term “compound” is used herein as such) can have physical characteristics altered by application of electrical energy. When applied to water, application of electrical energy can make it seem fresher.
Freshness in this regard means that negative ions are present in a surplus. For example, ripened fresh fruits and vegetables are loaded with negative ions. As the fruit or vegetables over-ripen, they loose negative ions or are oxidized, that is, they are robbed of negative ions by an oxidant such as oxygen or any other free radical molecule that is naturally electron-seeking. A sliced apple, for example, will turn brown in color from oxidation upon exposure to air in a short amount of time. Coating the cut apple with an antioxidant like Vitamin C will keep the apple from turning brown in color and will maintain freshness.
When ionized with negative ions, water, in the presence of dissolved oxygen becomes more alkaline and the pH increases because of an increase in hydroxide ion (OH−) concentration. The pH of alkaline solutions indicates a surplus of hydroxide (negative ions) over hydrogen ions (positive ions). An increase in negative ions with dissolved oxygen may form more hydroxide ions and may give off some hydrogen gas in the process.
Oxidation-Reduction Potential (ORP) is a measure in millivolts of a compound's potential to Oxidize (an electron acceptor) or Reduce (an electron donor) in a chemical reaction. As a compound is given a surplus of negative ions, ORP becomes more negative in value, indicating that the compound is becoming more of an electron donor. The compound then becomes an Anti-Oxidant (Reducing Agent) and decreases the effects of Oxidants.
In many cases, a net decrease in ORP of as little as 20 millivolts from surplus negative ions being applied electrostatically to drinking water will result in a noticeable difference in taste. The water will taste smoother, wetter and fresher. And this happens whether the water is tap water, bottled water or filtered water.
Ionized water can be consumed with ORP differences of hundreds of millivolts with high pH levels (pH 10) from bubbling ozone through the water. However, this is not necessary and may be harmful to consume large quantities of water on a daily basis with excessive ionization potential from elevated pH levels over a long period of time.
Prior art electrostatic liquid charging systems that impart negative ions within a liquid may use polarized direct current (DC) electrostatic probes that are inserted into the liquid to which the charge will be imparted. These probes must have a positive (anode) and negative (cathode) or ground terminal and must be in contact with the liquid in order to operate. They, therefore must, by design, be either physically inserted into open containers or be enclosed within the liquid inlet supply flow tubes that are not and cannot be hermetically sealed as, for example, off-the-shelf bottled water. They also separate water or aqueous liquids into acid and alkaline components via electrolysis. The alkaline component is usually the important one since it is negatively charged with the acid component being positively charged. The alkaline component is the one, which is consumed with the acid component being either discarded or used for other purposes such as watering plants.
Other systems may bubble ozone gas through the liquid or add chemical salts and colloidal particles that help to impart negative ions to the liquid and/or help to increase the pH. In these cases, the compound needs to be in an open container and be treated by direct contact with the ozone gas, chemicals or colloidal particles. Compounds treated by such systems may be sold in hermetically sealed containers after treatment but they are limited to which compounds can be treated and how much of a compound is charged. They also suffer because the original compound has become chemically modified and in many cases, denatured.
Freshness among other things is a function of the surplus of negative ions. Fruits and vegetables decay from the buildup of the natural production of ethylene, which may increase free radicals that, in turn rob electrons from the fruit or vegetables. Thus, electrostatic charges and negative ions can retard spoilage.
Water is an electrostatically polar molecule that possesses a large net dipole moment and exhibits dipole-dipole interaction between and among its own molecules. In addition, it possesses the most powerful kind of dipole-dipole interaction: hydrogen bonding.
Because of this property, water exists as a liquid crystal that relies upon hydrogen bonding to produce a surface tension that is inherent in its nature. These liquid crystals form long chains of molecules that line up to present a distributed, resistive force, which will resist a certain amount of penetrative force upon the molecules before they yield. Surface tension resists hydration by preventing water to permeate membranes.
When an electrostatic charge is imparted to water, the negative ions tend to break some of the hydrogen bonds between and among the water molecules. Then the molecules form smaller chains, and become clusters or monomolecular making the molecules smaller and decreasing the surface tension. This makes water wetter.
Chemicals may be added to water that will decrease the surface tension, called “Surfactants” (surface-active agents). Chemicals that possess this property are called “wetting agents”.
Electrostatic fields have a similar effect on water that “wetting agents” have in that they break up the hydrogen bonding inherent in water and aqueous solutions. This causes the water molecules to form rings or clusters instead of long chains thus reducing the surface tension and making the water “wetter”. The advantage in beverages and other food or non-food compounds is that no adjunct chemicals need to be added to produce similar “wetting agent” effects. And this can be performed on hermetically sealed contents.
In addition to hydrogen bonding, water also has a high dielectric constant, i.e., it has good electrical insulating properties, which make it tend to hold an electrostatic charge. As negative ions are introduced into water, they are dispersed among the water molecules. According to the laws of physics, the stability of a charged system is increased by the dispersal of the charge. Water is therefore a good electrical capacitor and will hold an electrostatic charge over time.
Electrostatic charges that are introduced into a liquid medium such as water produce negative ions that are attracted to positively charged ends of dipolar molecules i.e., water molecules themselves and other compounds that are either dissolved or remain in suspension in the water. This tendency to hold an electrostatic charge for a definite time may increase the pH of the liquid compound making the compound slightly more electronegative and therefore more alkaline and less acidic. In the presence of a surplus of negative ions, some of the positive hydrogen ions (H+) may bond with other hydrogen ions to form hydrogen gas (H2), which escapes from the water, decreases the hydrogen ion concentration (H+) and increases the hydroxide ion (OH−) concentration. The increase in OH− ions increases the pH of the compound.
Slightly acidic compounds like water, or more strongly acidic compounds like carbonated soda water (carbonic acid) will hold more electrons to the positive ends of their molecules than alkaline compounds because there is a surplus of positive ionic molecular sites. Thus, the effect of charging acidic compounds with negative ions will tend to have a more pronounced effect on the compound than on alkaline compounds, which will tend to repel the negative ions. The effect of charging acidic beverages like coffee & tea, or carbonated beverages like soda water, beer, or champagne with negative ions will tend to take the “edge” or “bite” out of the taste because the positive acidic ends of the molecules will have been slightly neutralized by the negative ions. Taste tests confirm that inexpensive champagne with a high acid “bite” will taste noticeably smoother after charging with negative ions.
Imparting negative ions via electrostatic charges have the following effects on water and other aqueous liquids:                1. Decreases the size of water molecule clusters.        2. Decreases the surface tension.        3. Decreases the Oxidation-Reduction Potential (ORP).        4. Increases the pH.        5. Increases hydration.        